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(No Model.)

. y J,. C. MILLER.

WICK ADJUSTBR FOR CENTRAL DRAFT LAMPS.

No. 576,876. Patented Peb.Y Q, 1897*.

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UNiTED STATES PATENTY OFFICE.

JOI-IN C. MILLER, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE MATTHEWS du WILLARD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WICK-ADJUSTER FOR CENTRAL-DRAFT LAMPS.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,876, dated February 9, 1897. Application led February 5, 1894. Serial No. 49 9,085. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN C. MILLER, of IVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have in vented a neu7 Improvement in Wick-Adjusters for Central- Draft Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following,when taken in connecti on with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a broken view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a central-draft lamp provided with a wickadjuster constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a view thereof in transverse section on the line :c so of Fig. l; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional View showing the Inode of connecting the spring-arms with the sleeve which surrounds the draft-tube.

My invention relates to an improvement in n wick-adjusters for central-draft lamps, the

object being to produce a simple, convenient, and effective device composed of few parts, not liable to derangement, and not requiring the exercise of skill in its manipulation or in wicking or unwicking the lamp.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a wick-adjuster having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and' pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my improvement applied to a central-draft lamp having a fount A, a central draft-tube B, and a removable outer wick-tube C, all of wellknown construction and not needing special description. The wick-holder consists of a sheet-metal tube or sleeve D, constructed to t over the'draft-tube B and to slide freely up and Clown thereupon. It is formed near its upper edge with an outwardly-projecting rib D', which is struck out from its inner face. As herein shown, the face of this rib is broad and flat and located in a plane parallel with the plane of the band, but such form is not essential and maybe varied, if desired. Pairs of i-'ertically-arranged perforations d d, formed in the base of the said rib, are provided to receive ngers E, formed integral with the lower ends of independently-formed Wickgripping arms E', the extreme upper ends of which are toothed and bent outwardly for engagement with the wick, the said arms being formed of steel or equivalent material. As herein shown, I have employed three of these arms, but I may employ two or more, as may be desired. They are arranged in vertical posit-ions and are therefore parallel with each other, and in the operation of the lamp bear throughout the greater portion of their length directly upon the Wick-tube, between which and them suflicient friction is developed to hold the band, and hence the wick, in any desired position of elevation. The said arms are constructed near their lower ends with shoulders e e, which rest upon the upper edge of the rib Dl of the tube or sleeve D and thus prevent their downward displacement. The arms are also secured to the sleeve by means of rivets F, one of which is passed through the projecting lower end of the finger of each arm, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 3. By making the rib with a broad flat face it affords a long bearing for the -ngers of the spring wick-gri pping arms, and hence the advantage of making the rib in that form. The base of the rib is also constructed with verticallyalined openings d cZ/ for the reception of the upper end of a flat spring sheet-metal strap G, employed to connect the wick-holder with the straight rigid draw-bar II, the projecting upper end of the said strap being secured to the sleeve ata point above the rib D by a rivet g. For the purpose of connecting the lower ends of the strap and bar the latter is bent to form an inwardly-projecting horizontallyarranged hook H', which extends crosswise, so to speak, of the draft-tube, and which, as shown, receives the extreme end g of the strap G, the said end of the strap being bent upon itself into the form of an open tube g2 to fit around the said end of the hook. Said baris located in an inclined position and plays up and down at its upper end in an inclined bearing I, secured to the top of the fount A.

The strap G is also bent to form a stopshoulder G', which, when the bar and wickholder are elevated, engages with the collar O', formed at the lower end of the outer wicktube C, and limits the upward movement of the wick-holder, which it stops in its upward movement at a point below where the springarms E are allowed to spring inward over the top of the draft-tube for disengaging the wick. The spring-strap therefore acts as a fender for preventing the wick-gripping arms from being raised above the top of the drafttube. The said spring also acts as a tension device, for it either pushes or pulls upon the draw-bar, according to the vertical position thereof, so as to cause the same to bind in its bearing in the lamp-forint, the binding of the draw-bar in the manner described assisting to hold the wick in any desired position of adjustment. The spring has still a further function in assisting in gaging the position of the wick when the same is applied tothe sheetmetal tube or sleeve D.

It will be understood that as the draw-bar is raised and lowered its end will, on account of its inclination with reference to the central draft-tube, move away from and toward the same, this movement being compensated :for by the springing of the connecting-strap G. By removing the outer wick-tube C the bar may be raised so as to project the upper ends of the spring-arms E' above the central .draft-tube, whereupon they will spring inward toward each other and release th'e'wick. They are therefore brought into the position described for releasing the wick preparatory to its removal and for placing the wick in position to be permanently engaged by them in the process of wicking the lamp.

It will be seen that my improved device is very simple in construction and not liable to derangement, and that its operation both in raising` and lowering the wick and for removing and renewing the same is so simple as to be readily effected by a child or servant.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware that a sheet-metal band or sleeve adapted to ride directly upon the draft-tube of a central-draft lamp and provided with in tegral wick-gripping jaws extending above its upper edge and also arranged to ride upon the draft-tube, is old. I am further aware that it is old to make such jaws independent of the sleeve or band and connect their lower ends therewith. I am further aware that it is old to employ a spring connection between the lower end of a draw-bar and a wick-holder riding up and down on a central drafttube. I do not, therefore, claim any of these constructions broadly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a wick-adjuster for central-draft lamps, the combination with a lamp-fount, of a central draft-tube located therein, a wick-holder movable up and down upon the said tube, a straight, rigid draw-bar mounted in an inclined position in the lamp-fount, having its upper end extended upward through the same, and its lower end bent to form an inwardly proj ecting, horizontally arranged hook extending crosswise of the draft-tube, a spring connecting-strap having its upper end attachedto the wick-holder and its lower end bent for engagement with the said hook of the bar, and an inclined bearing located upon the lamp-fount, and adapted to receive the draw-bar which it confines to movement in an inclined plane, the variation in the distance of the lower end of the bar from the draft-tube and wick-holder caused by pulling it up and pushing it down, being permitted by the said spring connecting-strap, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. f

JOHN C. MILLER. lVitnesses:

LILLIAN D. KELSEY, FRED. C. EARLE. 

